Changes
by muhnemma
Summary: Five themes over four books, charting the changing relationship of Daine and Numair.


**Disclaimer: **I own none of the characters

**Wild Magic**

**Friendship**

Numair had always been able to form connections easily. Usually they were fleeting, shallow friendships. Since arriving in Tortall he had made friends who he was sure he would keep for life. But he was startled, and somewhat scared, by how quickly and certainly he knew that Daine would be a part of his life for a very long time to come.

**Honour **

For a long time after Daine tells him of her treatment at the hands of the Snowsdale villagers Numair is furious with them. How could they do that to a young girl, especially _this _young girl?

**Blood**

Numair likes to think that he is a brave man. But when he asks Daine what's wrong one morning and she mumbles something about 'monthlies', he pales and runs from the room. This is an entirely new problem.

**Terror**

His heart thunders in his chest as he watches her collapse. Later that night, after she has been saved and his temper has cooled, he finds that he almost has to prise his fingers away after giving her a goodnight hug.

**Love**

Numair admires Daine's determination to learn how to heal her friends. He has never known such love and dedication in one so young.

**Wolf Speaker**

**Friendship**

Sometimes it grates on Numair that the ill informed assume that his relationship with Daine goes beyond teacher and student, a close friendship. But he never lets her see it anger him; it would only upset her further, and that is unacceptable.

**Honour**

Emotion chokes him as Daine introduces him to her oldest, closest friends as her 'pack', and suddenly he finds it almost impossible to speak.

**Blood**

During their separation, images of Daine, unmoving and drenched in blood, haunt Numair's mind. They lead him to throw useless spells at the barrier, to threaten her with awful fates should she risk her life, and to almost break her ribs with the strength of is embrace when they reunite.

**Terror**

Riding away from Daine, leaving her without protection, Numair can't remember a time when he has been more scared.

**Love**

Sitting amongst the pack, Numair can feel the love that Daine and the wolves have for each other. He can't quite believe that he warrants the same kind of devotion from her.

**Emperor Mage**

**Friendship**

Numair is startled by the contrast between his friendship with Daine and his romance with Varice. How can Daine have a deeper knowledge of him when Varice knew him so intimately?

**Honour**

He tries to tells himself that Daine may talk with whoever she wises, but when he sees the Prince lean in a little closer that propriety permits, he leaps to his feet and strides to where they sit.

**Blood**

The Emperor is bleeding when they find him in the menagerie, and for a moment Numair is scared by the grim pleasure on Daine's face, plain even while she wears the form of a hyena.

**Terror**

Awful ideas float into Numair's head at night. What if the Emperor decides he wants to keep Daine as a pet, or a mistress?

**Love**

Coming back to this place, he realises truly for the first time the value of the family he has built for himself in Tortall, and of the friend who doesn't shy from his power or seek his gold.

**Realm of the Gods**

**Friendship**

It seems to Numair that there is an invisible cord running between himself and Daine. He can't bear to break it, to remove himself from her, even though sometimes he believes that it might be better for her if he did.

**Honour**

People never give her the respect she deserves. They fear her unusual power and shun her as a bastard. How much worse would it be, Numair wonders, if he ruined her reputation completely though a careless caress or kiss?

**Blood**

He turns away from the dead spidrens, from Daine's bloody body, and feels his world shatter like glass, falling in pieces to his feet.

**Terror**

After spending a conscious day in the house of Daine's parents, Numair realises that nothing can induce fear quite like the divine father of the woman he desires.

**Love**

The first time they kiss he trembles, laughs and cries, all the time clinging to Daine as if she anchors him to life.


End file.
